Mail-box support



J. WARMACK Jua@ 7, 192?1 MAIL BOX SUPPORT Filed July *7, 1926 gwmntoz n M G Jima 7, 1927. J. wARMAcK MAIL BOX SUPPORT Filed July '7, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v u Innenma v Mfa'we/ I Y attenua Patented y June 7, 1927.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. f

f JOHN WARMACK, 0F FORT SMITH, ARKANSAS. i

MAIL-Box sUProR'r.

y Application led .TillyV 7, 1926. Serial No. 120,981.

This invention relates to mail box supports and more particularly to a support for rural mailboxes enabling the box to be positioned immediately adjacent the road over which the carrier passes, so that mail may be inserted therein or removed therefrom without the carrier descending from the vehicle in which he usually makes hisy rounds.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which may be swung to one side, so as to provide aclear space `between the edge of the road and the standard or post upon which the support is disposed, thus enabling the passage of ditching machines or the like, which must operate in trenches formed at the side of the road.

A further and more specic object of the invention is to provide a structure of this character having a bracket adapted to be attached to the post and receive a vertical extension upon a horizontally disposed arm,

Y the bracket having a notch in which the arm mayengage to hold the device against rotation while still permitting ready movement of the arm, if this is desired. y

These and other objects I attain by the construction shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein for the purpose'of Villustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein Y Figure l is a side elevation partially in section showing a preferredvr embodiment of my invention applied to a post;

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of thev bracket for .attachingv the mail box to the T1115 Figure 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Figure 1;

Figure l is a section on the line 4.-,-4 of Figure 1';

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Figure 1;

Figure G 1s a front elevation of a slightly modified form of post bracket;

Figure 7 is a side elevation thereof showingv the same attached to thepost;y

Figure 8 is a'plan `view thereof detached from the post;

Figure 9 is aV vertical 'sectional viewVT through a pipe post showing the form bracket suitable for use therewith;

' Figure 10 is a fr ont elevation of the bracketremovedgv Figure 11 is a plan view of `this bracket.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates a bracket. adapted to be attached to the upper end of a post 11 arranged in spaced relation to the road.' This bracket provides a vertically directed bearing for the reception of a vertical extension 12 formed upon a` horizontal arm-13. This arm has at its outer end means 14 Afor attaching thereto the base board 15 upon whichk a rural mail box 16r is usually seated. The bracket 10 is provided at its upper end with a notch 17 in which the horizontal arm 13 may drop to hold the'k arm against rotation. The lower end ofv the extension has a stop 18 for engagement .withthe lower portion of the bearing limiting upward movement of thev arm when the arm has been lifted suliiciently to clear this notch. lVhen the arm is lifted to clear the notch, it may be rotated so as to place the arm parallel vwith the road instead of at right angles to the road, yas it is disposed lwhen it is engaged in the notch. l

The bracket 10 may take any one of a number of forms. In the formshown vin Figures 1 to 5, the bracketl is formed from a sheet 19 of metal at the center of which alternate portions Vare oppositely swaged to provide oppositely directed semi-spheri-- cal loops 2O and 21, which combine to provvide the bearing for the vertical extension tions, openings 23 are provided for the passage of securing elements 24 for engagement in the post. An outwardly pressed loop 20 is arranged uppermost and the upper end of this loop is swaged, as at 25, to form lan outwardlyextending lip having the notch 17 formed therein. In the form shown; in

`Figures 6 to 8, which is likewise adapted for yYertica'lly'directed eyes 27 and v28, the upf ymay rest.

per eye 27 having in its outer face the notch 17 for the reception of the arm 13. The plate 26 may bev provided with suitable openings 29 for the passage of securing elements.

In the form shown in ldligures 9 to 11, which is intended for use in a supporting post 1l consisting of a piece of pipe, the bracket is in the form of a sleeve 2O fitting the upper end of the post and having head 31 seating upon the upper fend of the post. The bore of this sleeve is of the same diameter `as the vertical extensionlZ of the arm 13 and the head is formed in its upper sur- -face with the notch 17 in which the arm 13 The sleeve 2O is secured in position inthe postl 11a bymeans of a set-screw 32 or the like. In this construction, if desired, a supplemental guide for the extension 12 may be providedfby placing'aboutl this extension above the limiting element 18 a collar 33 interiorly fitting the Aextension and exterioi'ly fitting the bore of the post 11a. The arm ,13 and its extension l2 may be conveniently produced by employing a piece of pipe and bending the same to provide a right angle producing the arm 13 and its extension 12. Before bending the pipe, a piece of metal 3l is inserted inthe pipe at the point wherethe bend is to be formed to prevent deformation of the pipe during the bending operation. rlhis piece of metal further serves to reinforce the pipe at the bend and renders the arm more durable. y

rIhe attaching bracket 111- is preferably produced by employing a metallic sheet 35 and forming at the center thereof oppositely pressed semi-circular loops 8G and 37'. The

side edges r of this plate are then offset, so

that their faces 38 are arranged in the same plane as the central portion of the inbent semi-circular portions 37. The side edges of the plate and each outwardly pressed semi-circular portion 36 are .formed with openings .for the passage of securing elements 89 for attaching `the plate to the base board 15 and other securing elements Li() for. passage through openings l1 formed in the arm 13 and `,engagement in the base board. These latter securing elements not only serve yto prevent rotation ofthe bracket upon the arm but likewise serve Vto bindithe same, bracket and base board `firmly together, so that no weakening vibration may take place. It will be obvious that a construction this character may be very readily and cheaply manufactured and vmay be easily i installed. At all times, the armV 13r will be maintained in its proper position with `its end adjacent tlieroad over whichV the carrier will pass. Y If, however, it is necessary thatrthe arinbe moved to one side lfor the passage offa Aditching or grading machine, it i may be very *readilyfinovepd :and replaced. Since the construction hereinbefore set forth is obviously capable of a certain'range of change and modificationV without materially departingfrom the spirit of the invention, I do notlimit myself to such specie structure except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:-

1. In a support for rural mail boxes and i the like, a bracket adapted for attachment to a post and providing va vertically directed bearing, a horizontally disposed arm having a vertical' extension engaged in said bearing and capable of vertical movement with relation thereto, the upper end of y the bracket having la notch in which the arm may be engaged torniaintain the arm in one'position with relation tothe bracket comprising a plate provided centrallyfwith oppositely pressed semi-spherical portions providing a circular' opening for the'passage :of the arm, the edges of the plate being offsetand having Atheir .upper faces arranged inthe same plane as the vuppei' surface of .certain of said pressed portions, the others of V[said pressed portions having .openings for ,the`

passage of securing elements whereby the ,plate maybe secured to they arm.

2. In a support foryrural mail boxes'and the like, a bracket adapted for attachment oppositely pressed to form semi-spherical y portions combining to produce the bearing, the uppermost section being pressed outwardly fronithe plate,-the upper edge of I the uppermost section being formed with a notch.

3. In a support for rural mail boxes and the` like,`a bracketvadapted forzattachment to a post and providing a vertically directed bearing, a horizontally disposed arml having a vertical extension engaged in said bearing and capable of vertical movement with relation thereto, the upper end of .the bracketliaving `a. notch in which the arin may be engaged to maintain the arm in vone position with relation to the bracket and` vmeans upon the armI for attaching a mail box thereto, said bracket comprising a vplate centrally transversely slitted t0 p roduceseparated pqrtions, the separated portionsfbeing oppositely pressed to formsemi-spherical portions combining to produce the bearing, the i'ipperinostfY section being pressedoutwardly,a@p1ae-iiaupper @cie-"e .of the uppermost section being formed with the notch, the side edges of said plate being offset to place their inner faces in a common plane With the inner faces of the inwardly pressed portions.

4L. A bracket for the purpose described comprising a plate having transverse slits at the center thereof forming a series of vertically aligned ,sections7 said sections being semi-spherical in shape and extending 10 in opposite directions from the plate and' thereby producing a vertically directed bearing opening, the uppermost section having in its upper edge a notch, said plate having offset edge portions, the inner faces of which are in a plane tangential to the inner faces of the sectionsy disposed at one signature.

" JOHN WARMACK. 

